When I first saw 听in a store, hanging on a rack like a cacophony of ugliness, I swore I鈥檇 never own a pair. The company launched in 2002 as a boat-shoe brand听and听is known for听making ugly footwear. Former Project Runway star and fashion icon 听once said they made his feet look like hooves.听He鈥檚 not wrong. They鈥檙e the least flattering shoes on the planet.
For years I worked as a lifeguard and swim instructor at a summer camp听in Concord, Massachusetts. Surrounded by teachers and hippie听counselors who donned this cushioned听footwear,听I made a choice to ignore my fellow pool staffers and forego Crocs. They made perfect sense because they were waterproof and closed toe鈥攁 camp requirement鈥攂ut听I wore Nike Dunks or Vans instead.听When it rained and I walked campers to their parents鈥 cars, I suffered the consequences: my socks and shoes got drenched听and I鈥檇 have to drive home barefoot. My car smelled of wet sneakers for months. But听I wouldn鈥檛 dare be caught in those clunkers like the rest of them.
Times have changed, though. Style icon has done multiple collaborations with Crocs. In 2017, 听showed them off with his summer collection. The next year, Balenciaga brought them to . In 2019, the shoes were the .听 and 听are showing off their Crocs on Instagram. 听called it the spring听2020 it shoe.听They haven鈥檛 gotten any less ugly, but they鈥檙e more trendy than ever and .
My opinion softened in 2017 when my wife got a pair for working in the garden. (She chose听orange so they鈥檇 be ugly enough that she wouldn鈥檛 be tempted to wear them in public.) The ability to hose them off after weeding and planting made sense鈥攕he could get them as dirty as she liked and it didn鈥檛 matter. I started putting them on听to take out the garbage, to turn the water in the garden on and off, and to let the dog in. My heels hung off the back, but they听were easier to slide on than sneakers and kept my feet warmer and drier than sandals. Despite my protests, she bought me a pair听for听Christmas.
I鈥檓 conscious of my appearance. It might not always show: my collar pops strangely, my black Vans are dirty and worn, and my pants have small stains. But I know how I鈥檒l be perceived when I leave the house. During quarantine, though, all self-consciousness听has disappeared. I鈥檝e been wearing sweatpants to the grocery store鈥攕omething I rarely did before, except for early-morning听trips. But the most blatant disregard for my outward appearance has been embracing my hideous听bright red Crocs as something other than gardening or household-chore shoes. I鈥檝e made them an everyday item.
And despite how ugly they are, Crocs听serve a vital purpose during these times: they鈥檙e perfect for the outdoors. They鈥檙e waterproof and easy to clean. They float. They鈥檙e cushy and bright.听During quarantine I鈥檝e slipped on my Crocs to build a chicken coop and to听go on family walks.听I鈥檝e worn them while听picking听up dog poop in the yard and while washing the cars. I鈥檝e even worn them to get groceries听and to the hardware store.听Nothing matters anymore.
In April听I was supposed to go backpacking听in the Green Mountains with some friends鈥攁 long weekend away from our domestic lives. The pandemic put the trip on hold. Prior to the world shutting down, I鈥檇 planned out my pack听and Crocs weren鈥檛 on the list. Now, I鈥檇 rethink that. On the trail I鈥檇 wear my boots, but I鈥檇 carry my Crocs听dangling from听my听pack, ready for me to slide听on and听let my feet breathe听as we set up camp.
When this is over, I鈥檒l go back to my regular routine. I won鈥檛 wear my Crocs to the store anymore and I won鈥檛 wear them to my favorite restaurant. But they鈥檒l be there for me when I need them.听I won鈥檛 be afraid of the hideous clown shoes. I鈥檝e embraced听them.